Everything in Its Place
by eleni459
Summary: She had not planned to go there. But once she arrived, she found that there was things that only she could fix. Hinamori, Kira, and memories of Aizen.


Bleach is the brainchild of Kubo Tite. I received no monetary benefit for this work.

For 31 Days on LJ. Theme April 25 - matter remembered itself so very clearly

* * *

He found her in the Captain's quarters. Though he had searched throughout the Fifth Division's barracks, he had known that she would be there. He had just not been willing to believe his own instincts. And why should have he? Hinamori had navigated the first week of her release with relative ease. Her division, if not all of the Gotei 13, had let out a sigh of relief as she went about her work with a mix of diligence and cheer. They had all heard the story of her outburst when speaking to Captain Hitsugaya and nearly all had feared for the worst. They, even he who knew better, took her smile as a sign of recovery. When she missed their late evening appointment, he felt the fool for having believed the ruse.

Although he had known where she was, he was surprised by what she was doing. Quietly, he watched as she walked through the room picking up objects, examining them carefully, and then placing them somewhere completely different. Her manner was calm and collected. Her face appeared wistful and, on occasion, a faded smile would cross across her lips.

"Do you know why they moved the Captain's things, Kira?" Her voice sounded just as it always had. "You can come out, you know? I've sensed you looking for me all evening. I was wondering when you'd arrive."

Kira crept into the room. Her every move was etched into the room's dusty film. The footprints had no real pattern and had coalesced into matted puddles. But every surface had bare marks from where some previous object had resided. A cobweb in the corner had been disturbed and Kira watched and the small spider attempted to mend the damage that had been done. All the while, Hinamori had not stopped her mission. "Did you intend to come here tonight?"

"Not at first. But something clicked while I was on my way to meet you. I hope you don't mind," she said, her tone dropping slightly. "It's not that our time together isn't important. I…I just had to know."

"But why do _this_?"

"Because it's all been moved. So much is in the wrong place."

"And who will care if it is?" he asked. He could tell that his voice was becoming a bit louder. But, in the face of this display, he found that he could no longer control it. "Do you think he's coming back?"

"No," she said plainly as she fumbled with a wooden bowl. "And I care. Yes, it may have been his room. But I've spent so much time here that it feels as if a little of me is here too. This," she explained, gesturing with the bowl, "went here by the books. The books are now gone but this is where it went. He would put flowers in it. After a year or so, I would be the one to buy that day's flowers and bring them to him when we discussed that day's work."

"Hinamori, I…"

"And the desk!" She walked over and began to fumble through a draw. It was conspicuously empty except for a long brown box. "All of the brushes are gone. I don't know why. But _this_ I had bought him. All of his brushes were becoming frayed and I thought he needed a new one. He still used his old brushes, but, on occasion, I would catch him using it. It's not here now," she said as she opened the box to show him its vacated darkness, "but this still is."

"Hinamori, you don't have to do this."

She shook her head and pointed to an oblong dark mark on the wall. "He would place _Kyoka Suigetsu _right there. And also over there," she said as she pointed across the room to a similar mark. "And also somewhere else that I haven't been able to remember. But I always thought it was odd that he placed it in so many different places. While I was away, I began to believe that this had been something he let me imagine. But it was real."

"You don't have to do this," he said again. "We can leave."

"But there's still so much that is missing!" She walked up and down the room, her fingers darting out and noting were another bookcase had sat or the place his tea service used to rest upon a table. Kira watched as her movements grew jerky and her voice grew deeper. Finally, she stopped in front an old brown robe. Carefully, she reached out and fondled the fabric, scattering more dust. "This doesn't belong right here," she said hoarsely, "but it can stay."

Kira rushed toward her and managed to catch her shoulders as she fell back. "You need to take it easy."

"I have so much to do. But I'm just so tired."

"I'll take you back to your room. If you must, I will help you tomorrow."

"I want to stay here tonight, just tonight." She tilted her head toward his and asked, "Will you stay with me?"

"I will."

They didn't move for the rest of the night. Kira doubted that either of them slept well. The next morning, he awoke to find her gone. When he saw her again, she acted as if nothing had happened. He watched her for the next few weeks and found that she never again acted so out of the ordinary. Still, he would sometimes notice her eyes grow wide at the sight of some small piece of furniture or ornamentation. It almost appeared to be a look of recognition. But he let it slide. It was, perhaps, something he couldn't understand.


End file.
